Winter in Bondi may see the out-of-town crowds clear off a little, but this picture-perfect 'burb still has a buzzing culinary heart – which makes it the perfect time to settle down with a drink and look out over its pastel shoreline. And what better place than beachside hangout North Bondi Fish?
Just in time for the cooler months, the Matt Moran eatery will transform into North Bondi Nami, a pop-up inspired by the buzzing izakayas of Tokyo. Nami (meaning 'wave' in Japanese) will be dishing up fresh, Japanese-inflected plates like shellfish ramen; tonkotsu ramen with Berkshire pork belly; egg sandos with nori, sesame and kewpie; and made-to-order temaki (hand rolls, for the uninitiated). As for dessert? Bite into a pillowy, matcha-filled choux, or a strawberries-and-cream-filled sando. Your visit will be set to the tunes of an entertainment program taking inspiration from wamono, or old-school Japanese music, as well as disco, funk, soul and jazz from the ’60s to the ’80s. DJs will be on the turntables from lunch until late at night.
The drink menu will also get a switch-up for the winter, with a focus on ingredients used in Japanese cuisine, like wasabi, kombu and shiso. The Bloody Mariko, for example, is a spicy take on the classic Bloody Mary with mirin, while the Aloe Aloe blends green tea, umeshu, suze and verjus. If you're not keen on a cocktail, try a warming nip of sake or shochu.
Check out Nami (in the North Bondi Fish space) from June 18 until the spring.